Fighting Depression

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Depression is a medical disorder that interferes with your feelings, thoughts, behaviors and physical health. It is very common and should not be treated as a sign of weakness. However, doctors call it a symptom of low mood or while referring to specific illness named depressive illness. Women are more prone to depression than men. There are several techniques to fight this annoying state of mind, of course with great effort from your side.

Symptoms of Depression

Depressive symptoms may vary from one person to another. If these symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks then seek help from your doctor immediately. Basically, a low feeling and stress are seen as the major symptoms of depression. There are number of other symptoms for depression, some of the common forms are:

· Loss of interest in exciting activities.

· A sense of tiredness, anxiety and irritation.

· Loss of appetite with a sudden gain or loss in weight.

· Encountering problems in concentrating, thinking and making decisions.

· Suicidal thoughts and tendencies.

· Headaches and other types of pains.

· Digestive and sexual problems.

Factors Responsible for Depression

What causes this annoying state is not known. However, researchers believe that a combination of biological, psychological, genetic and other factors contribute to this mental disorder. Broadly speaking, the causes of depression can be categorized into biological, genetic and environmental factors.

Biological causes: Certain natural substances are responsible for the interaction between brain cells. Lack of sleep, anxiety and irritability caused due to the deficiency of Serotonin, a chemical found in the brain causes depression. Deficiency of another essential chemical found in our human body called the Cortisol hormone that helps in responding to stress, anger or fear may lead to depression.

Genetic Causes: Studies have shown that children whose parents have experienced chronic depressions during their lifetime are more susceptible.

Environmental Causes:. Stressful events in life such as losing a job, broken relationship or some bad experiences in early life can be treated as environmental causes for depression.

Treating Depression

Depending upon type of depression and its severity, the treatment is suggested by the doctor. Psychotherapy and medications are the two major treatments for depression.

Psychotherapy: There are various types of psychotherapy that can be given to the persons suffering from depression. Talking to a doctor and explaining the whole issue is one of the best forms of psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and dynamic psychotherapy are some of the other forms that can be used for treating depression. Psychotherapy is usually used for treating mild depression.

Medication: Antidepressants are generally prescribed by the doctors to the person suffering from severe depression. The antidepressants help in combating the low mood and other symptoms of depression. This form of medication has number of benefits such as fewer side effects, is not addictive and also does not affect the personality.

Preventing Depression

People who are at a higher risk of depression should go for regular check up with the doctor. Early identification of depression helps in getting the best benefits and results from the treatment.